Low Cost Dielectric Substrate Research Articles

Dual circular complementary split ring resonator based metamaterial sensor with high sensitivity and quality factor for textile material detection

In this paper, a novel metamaterial sensor with excellent sensitivity and quality factor for microwave sensing applications is presented. The designed metamaterial sensor is assembled on a 1.575 mm thickness of low-cost dielectric substrate material (Rogers RT5880), and the copper is used as a resonator. Computer Simulation Technology version 2019 (CST-2019) software is employed to design and analyze the proposed metamaterial sensor. In addition, the Advanced Design System version 2016 (ADS 2016) software is used to validate the CST simulated model. Subsequently, the simulated results were validated using laboratory measurements. The optimized cell is small; its dimension is 10 × 10 mm2, and the obtained resonances are 3.85 and 6.85 GHz with notches of −26.29 and −40.03 dB, respectively. The textile material is detected by the resonance frequency change, and this frequency is dependent on the material’s permittivity values. To test the developed sensor’s sensing capabilities, three types of textiles—wool, fleece, and denim—are used. The effective medium ratio, sensitivity, and Q-factor of the structure are evaluated, and the obtained values are 8.96, 14.57%, and 345, respectively. The sensor for detecting textile materials works in the S and C bands. The resonances are shifted 530 MHz between the air and wool, 420 MHz between the air and fleece, and 640 MHz between the air and denim. The simulated outcomes and laboratory results almost matched. The projected sensor can be employed in the apparel sector to identify textile materials because it is small, inexpensive, has a high quality factor, and has high sensitivity.

Design of a Blade Antenna Embedded in Low-Cost Dielectric Substrate

A design of a blade antenna embedded in low-cost dielectric substrate (FR4) and operating at 4.97 GHz is the subject of this paper. The antenna design is accomplished using parametric analysis in the HFSS TM software, where the antenna dimensions are changed and it is observed how the changes affect figures-of-merit like input impedance, reflection coefficient and radiation patterns. The antenna prototype is presented, as well as, a comparison between experimental and theoretical results.

Design of optical antenna for solar energy collection

In this paper, an antenna array is designed in order to transform the thermal energy, provided by the Sun and re-emitted from the Earth, in electricity. The proposed antenna array is constituted by four square spirals of gold printed on a low cost dielectric substrate. A microstrip line, embedded into the substrate, is used to feed the array and to collect the thermal radiation. The dispersive behavior of gold at infrared frequencies has been taken into account through the Lorentz–Drude model. Simulations have been conducted in order to investigate the behavior of the antenna array illuminated by a circularly polarized plane wave with an amplitude chosen according to the Stefan–Boltzmann radiation law. An output current of about 3.8 μA has been simulated at 28.3 THz, i.e. at the frequency of the Earth emitted radiation. Moreover, these infrared antennas could be coupled with other components to obtain direct rectification of infrared radiation. As a consequence, these structures further optimized could be a promising alternative to the conventional photovoltaic solar cells.